Was it necessary for the LA Times to announce the death of rapper DMX with a headline that included references to his drug addiction and legal problems? 

If I'm being honest with y'all . Female rap is really boring to me right now

— CupcakKe (@CupcakKe_rapper) April 5, 2021

Is CupcakKe right that women rappers are boring at the moment? 

Lena Waithe is unwell. Her art is telling me things I don’t like. Where did she grow up, go to school, hang out with? What inspires her art? These projects she’s putting out….eh.

— AshleyStevens (@The_Acumen) April 10, 2021

Is Lena Waithe making trauma porn about Black people because of the violence in two of the episodes of the Amazon horror series Them that she executive-produced? 

Rapper DMX has died at age 50 one week after having a heart attack caused by a drug overdose. Friends and family had been holding a vigil outside White Plains Hospital in New York where he was on life support. DMX became a rap star when his debut album It’s Dark And Hell Is Hot was released in 1998. He was quickly identified by his gravelly voice, aggressive style, and love of dogs. Ruff Ryders Management was in charge of his career and he became the central artist on their label and of the rap collective that included Eve. It was at this time that his working relationship and friendship with producer Swizz Beatz whose aunt and uncle owned Ruff Ryders began.  His singles “Party Up (Up In Here)” and “X Gon’ Give It To Ya” were pop anthems of the late ’90s and early 2000s. The success of his music led to appearances in movies including the hip-hop classic Belly, Romeo Must Die, Cradle 2 The Grave, Exit Wounds and Last Hour. DMX was one of the  top-selling artists during the Nielsen SoundScan era. He had signed a new contract with Def Jam in 2019 returning to the label for the first time since his 2003 Grand Champ album. Redemption Of The Beast released in 2015 was his eighth and final album. Fans were happy to see him in July 2020 when he appeared with Snoop Dogg for a Verzuz battle. 

DMX recorded his iconic 1998 “Ruff Ryders Anthem” after initialing rejecting the music from Swizz Beatz by thinking it was more suited for rock n roll. The song proudly repped the Ruff Ryders record label and their artists. DMX has just entered the scene and the “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” was the fourth single from his debut album, It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot. The video directed by J. Jesses Smith was an exhibition of ’90s masculinity in hip-hop with bodybuilding, white t-shirts, baggy jeans and motorbikes. Eve, Onyx, Swizz Beatz and The Lox made appearances in the video. DMX told GQ in 2019 that the “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem”  “Was simple and repetitive” but he ultimately was happy to have written the song. It was announced in 2019 that DMX had re-signed with Def Jam Records.

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The rapper DMX has been scheduled to enter rehab recently, causing him, once again to cancel multiple performances.

New York-bred rapper and actor has recently canceled many concerts and scheduled performances in order to treat his addictions. All according to a statement on social media last Saturday 12^th of October, where his team explained, “In his ongoing commitment to putting family and sobriety first, DMX checked himself into a rehab facility”. Adding that he “apologizes for the canceled shows” and thanks to his audience for their continued support”.

The post came to light just 24 hours before New York’s Rolling Loud Festival line up of this Sunday was published, he was originally booked to perform there, but his name was no longer on the itinerary. He also didn’t show up last Thursday, when he was scheduled to play at the Def Jam’s 35^th Anniversary event in Brooklyn.

It’s been a long year for DMX, since he got out of jail back in January 25^th after a year of prison under tax evasion charges. Pretty soon after his release, he went on tour to promote the 20^th anniversary of his album It’s Dark and Hell is Hot, until the current events, as it is informed by Billboard

But this is not the first time he has canceled shows and gigs in order to try and recover from his addictions. In fact, it has been a constant in his career, back in April of 2017 something similar happened as it was reported back then by Rolling Stone, DMX postponed several concerts and a few days later he got into the rehab clinic in southern California.

His team went out to say, “It is important right now that he takes some time off to focus on his health so that he can be a better father, friend, and entertainer,” DMX’s manager Pat Gallo said in a statement. “We are eternally grateful for the outpouring of concern and support that has poured in. We ask that you please keep X in your prayers as he embraces your support.”

And even further back, more precisely in 2011, he went on to TMZ to talk about his drug problems, and the rapper didn’t hesitate in stating that “Everyone was taking advantage of me with my finances, trying to put me in the direction to fail. I have 10 kids. I have to drive them in the right direction, so I let the cocaine go.”

Prior to that he has been involved in many scandals and has done time in prison on multiple occasions for cases related to drugs. The “X Gon’ Give it to Ya” hit writer has been in way too many incidents regarding different illegal substances, we can even go as far as 2000 as Entertainment Weekly reported in this old format about it, when DMX was caught speeding and in possession of Marihuana in New York.

A year later he served another sentence for driving without a license and for possession of Marijuana. Looking into DMX we found an hilarious and curious list made by Complex magazine titled “The 15 Most DMX Moments Ever”, that included the time when he impersonated a Federal Agent in the JFK Airport of New York, sirens and everything, crashing, after that the real agents searched him to find Crack cocaine and an illegal gun, back in 2004.

4 years later DMX tried to steal someone’s identity, in this case, to avoid paying quite large medical bills, in this case, a jury in Arizona ended up finding him guilty of all charges. The list goes on, but besides all the craziness of the character DMX has become now, we are talking about a hip-hop icon and a father of 10 that has gone through one hell of a roller coaster in his life, and we expect to see him endure the fight against drug addiction.

Earl Simmons, known as a DMX, was born in Mount Vernon, New York. After an abusive childhood, where he took several beatings from his mother and her multiple boyfriends, DMX spent a couple of times in jail during his teenage years. When he was free, he would roam in the streets, where he started his love for hip hop culture.

He recorded his first album in 1998 and the second one in December of the same year. After that, he launched 5 more, the last one Undisputed in 2012. DMX is also known by several NFL odds enthusiasts for his Madden NFL soundtrack songs.

We wish speedy recoveries to DMX and may his talent overcome his addictions.